Adjustable chairs.



351 Ma Gabi/WH P a. MA.

A. B. DISS.

ADJUSTABLE CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24. 1.909.

943,920. Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

I/Witnesses Snow/U60:

El FFTQE.

ALBERT B. DISS, OIE NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 UNIVERSAL CAS'IER &FOUNDRY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ADJUSTABLE CHAIR.

Application filed April 24, 1909.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

Serial No. 491,998.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. DISS, a citi zen of the United States, anda resident of Newark, New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Adjustable Chairs, of which the following is aspecification accompanied by drawings.

The invention relates particularly to adjustments for the back of Morrischairs and other chairs, and its object is to produce means foradjusting the back of the chair which shall comb ne simplicity andreliability in construction and in operation.

Figure 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a chairshowing the improvement in its most preferred form. Fig. 23 is a detailrear view of one end of the adjustable back supports. Fig. '-lis a viewof the same details as seen looking outward from the chair back andtherefore showing the bar in section and omitting portions of the backand the arms of the chair. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same in detail.Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. showing the catch disengaged and readyto move along the catch slot or rack.

Cn the rear side of the chair back there is pivotally mounted in the twobearings B a duplex lever formed of a strong bent rod, the middleportion C of which forms a combined handle, connecting bar, and weightfor actuating the catches. At each end this bar is bent forward and thenoutward to form a rockshaft or fulcrum in the bearing 13 and then isbent forward to form an arm D and finally again outward to form a catchF. Each catch F extends into the slot Gr of a catchplate H so as toengage the teeth shown on the upper side of the slot. Each of the catchplates or racks H is secured to the stationary arm of the chair so thatin combination with the duplex catch lever the two plates form anadjustable support for the back A of the chair which is pivotallymounted or hinged at K. The bar C acting as a we ght in the rear of thefulcrums causes the catches on the arms F to press upward and engage therack teeth of the catch-plate. Also, the bar C acting as a handle isconveniently reached and may be raised to disengage the catches.Thirdly. extending from side to side of the back and connecting the twocatches, it acts as a connecting rod and makes it easy to operate bothcatches by taking hold of the rod C at any point along the back of thechair.

The slots G in the -atch-plates H are made narrow enough tosubstantially guide the motions of the catches F from one tooth toanother and prevent the accidental missing of one tooth in the backwardmovement of the chair back. This will be clear from a consideration ofFigs. l and G. On raising the handle C from the position shown in Fig. 4and releasing the catch from its tooth, the chair back A is allowed totilt backward but the lower side of the slot G will guide the catch, asplainly seen in Fig. 6, so that it will strike and engage the nexttooth. The handle C must be raised or held up to prevent this engagementif it is desired to allow the back to move farther than the next toothof the catch-plate.

In the forward motion of the chair back it will be seen that the guideslot G guides the catch F freely past the successive teeth until therevcrsely directed tooth or stop L is reached. This reverse tooth isnear the open end of the slot and it engages the catch and prevents theaccidental passage of the catch through the open end of the slot. Toknock down the chair or take it apart, the open end of the slot isprovided. By raising the handle C each catch F passes clear of the toothL and out of the slot G, allowing the chair back to come forward to aflat position or to be detached from the chair in any well known manner.

It will be seen that the invention comprises very great simplicity ofconstruction and of operation with neatness of appearance, strength andreliability.

hat I claim is:

1. In combination in a Morris or like chair having a pivoted or hingedback, a double lever consisting of a single bent rod and comprising acombined handle, connecting bar and weight for actuating the catches,two rock-shaft fulcrums pivoted in bearings on the said back forward ofthe said handle, and two catch arms projecting forward from the saidfulcrums and having outturned catches, and two catch plates secured tosaid chair and having slots and catch teeth, said slots receiving andguiding the said catches toward the said teeth, for substantially thepurposes set forth.

2. In combination in a Morris or like chair having a pivoted or hingedback,a double lever plvoted to the said back at either side thereof andcomprlsmg a combined" handle, connecting bar and weight which isdisposed in the rear of the fulcrums or pivotal points, and catch armsprovided with catches at the respective ends of the lever, and two catchplates mounted on the said chair and engaging the said catches, forsubstantially the purposes set forth.

3. In combination in a Morris chair and the like having a pivoted orhinged back, catch plates having series of downward directed teethsecured to the chair and a double. lever provided with upward actingcatches for engaging the said teeth, said lever being pivoted to thesaid back and comprising a connecting bar disposed in the rear of thefulcrums or pivotal points for actuating the two catches simultaneously,for substantially the purposes set forth.

4. In combination in a Morris chair and the like having a pivoted orhinged back, a pair of connected catches movably mounted on the back andhaving means for actuating them in direction to engage with cooperatingcatch plate teeth, and a catch plate for each said catch mounted ontheneighboring parts of the chair and each having a slot for the catch,a series of teeth for engaging and holding the catch in the backwardadjustment of the chair back, an open forward end for permitting thecatch to pass out and a reverse tooth or stop for engaging the catchnear the open end, for substantially the purposes set forth.

5. In combination in a Morris chair and the like, having a pivoted orhinged back, a series of catch teeth mounted on the chair at either sideand a double lever pivoted to the said back, comprising a middleportion, portions extending forward and then outward, forming rockshafts or fulcrums by which the said lever is pivoted to the back, andcatch portions extending forward from the said fulcrums for engaging thesaid catch teeth. 7

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses this 20th day of April, 1909.

ALBERT B. DISS. Witnesses DANIEL B. DIss, J ULIUS RUPPREGHT.

